1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image communication including facsimile communication, and more particularly to an image communication apparatus such as a facsimile machine equipped with a cordless subsidiary phone.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, home facsimile machines have widely become popular as an image processing apparatus for home use that is equipped with a codeless hand scanner and a codeless subsidiary phone, has an answering machine function, and further is able to handle color images.
However, such conventional facsimile machines have too much functions such as a postcard copying function, a function for printing data obtained by a digital camera, and the like. Because the machines are installed in each general home as being indicated by their name of a “home facsimile machine”, a problem such that the machines sometimes perform useless operation caused by unnecessary operations exists.
That is, a facsimile machine ordinarily includes an operation unit, and a user can operate the machine by pushing buttons provided in the operation unit. For example, the user can catch a communication line by pushing an off-hook button; the user can telephone by pushing a one-touch button or ten-key buttons; the user can perform reception records by pushing a start button; the user can call up a cordless subsidiary phone by pushing a subsidiary phone calling button; the user can ring a calling sound by pushing a calling volume adjusting button; and the user can perform the cleaning of a bubble jet (BJ) unit by pushing a cleaning button in a machine employing a BJ system in its recording unit.
When the aforesaid operations are operated by a user with a clear intention, the conventional facsimile machine is made in a very convenient state for the use.
However, when the user once operates the aforesaid operations without clear intention, the conventional facsimile machine has the problem such that bad influences caused by the useless operation increase. That is, for example, a communication line is uselessly connected, causing the communication line to be in a busy state. Also, by the ringing of a calling sound or the subsidiary phone calling-up a cordless subsidiary phone begins to be ringing, which is troublesome in the middle of the night. In the case where cleaning is thoughtlessly performed, BJ ink is rapidly exhausted, and the ink runs out when the user wants to use the BJ system.
Home facsimile machines to be installed in homes have problems such that, when children (especially infants) operate them, cleaning is thoughtlessly performed to exhaust BJ ink rapidly, and thereby the ink runs out when a user wants to use them. As a real matter, infants frequently repeat the same thing dozens of times until parents stop the thing because they never get tired of what they have been interested.
On the other hand, the home facsimile machines also have the following problem. That is, when a small animal (especially a cat or the like) operates a home facsimile machine, a communication line is uselessly connected to create a state of being busy, or a cordless subsidiary phone begins to ringing by the ringing of a calling sound or the subsidiary phone calling-up, which becomes very troublesome in the middle of the night or the like. Frequently, a cat or the like thoughtlessly walks on a facsimile machine in the middle of the night to make a call or to perform cleaning.
That is, conventional facsimile machines have a problem such that not-cheaped BJ ink is uselessly used, or a problem such that a cat or the like puts the rhythm of a home life out of order.
Such a problem is also produced in an image communication apparatus other than the facsimile machine such as a personal computer having an image communication function and the like.